HISTORY OF
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WEST BAY CITY MILLS
H.W. SAGE & CO.
The
history of this mill is so intimately connected with that of the beginning of
The
following account of the twelve hours work performed at this mill November 9,
1967, was recorded at the time by the
“The sawing capacity of the steam saw mill of Sage, McGraw & Co., at Wenona, opposite this city, was tested on Saturday last, the 9th instant. The amount of lumber sawed that day was greater, we have no doubt, than was ever cut in any saw mill of not larger capacity in the same number of hours. There are in the mill four gangs, one circular and one mule saw. The stock and slabber gangs, run by James Corbett and George Winter, cut 151,840 feet; the gangs run by Adolph Plummer, 25,513 feet, making 870,797 feet, most of which was one and a half and two inch stuff. The total number of logs cut was 713. Time of cutting, twelve hours.
“The
mill is under the charge of Mr. John G. Emery, who is one of the most
thorough-going and energetic mill men in the
“At the conclusion of the day’s work Mr. H.W. Sage delivered a short speech to the men, in which he cordially thanked them, and expressed his appreciation of the energy, muscle and skill they had displayed. The men then dispersed to their homes, after giving six
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rousing cheers. During the whole day no accident to either men or machinery occurred.”
James
Corbett is still sawyer in the same mill; Abbott Plummer is lumbering, and
lives in
The following table gives the product of this mill for each year since it commenced running:
YEAR FEET
1865 9,048,000
1866 20,225,000
1867 22,952,957
1868 31,388,940
1869 28,697,871
1870 34,450,972
1871 22,442,571
1872 12,940,519
1873 20,370,670
1874 25,111,595
1875 22,223,944
1876 23,688,606
1877 25,245,990
1878 27,730,525
1879 29,388,976
1880 25,048,987
1881 30,021,264
1882 31,510,317
C.E. LEWIS
This mill was built by Whitney, Coite & Co., in 1852. In 1862 it purchased by the firm of Taylor, Moulthrop & Co., and in 1881 by Mr. Charles E Lewis, the present proprietor. The mill employs about sixty men and cut last year 12,500,000 feet of lumber.
Charles
E. Lewis was born in
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JOHN WELCH
This is the mill known for many years as the “Drake Mill.” It was built in the Winter of 1851-’52 by Drake Bros., and in 1853 sold to Kibbee, Whittemore & Co. After that it had various owners, and was finally purchased by Mr. Welch in 1880. In 1881 the mill burned, and was rebuilt the following Winter. It employs about forty men, and cut last year 12,000,000 feet of lumber.
KEYSTONE LUMBER AND SALT MAN ‘F’G COMPANY
This mill was formerly known as the Lord Mill, having been built by Mr. George Lord in 1854. Its capacity then was about 25,000 feet of lumber a day, and gave employment to thirty-five men. In 1866, the present company became its proprietors. The present cut of the mill is about 20,000,000 feet of lumber a season, and number of men employed about 130. The officers of the company and D. Noble, president, Philadelphia; C.S. Riley, vice-president, Philadelphia; F. Johnson, superintendent, West Bay City.
F.
Johnson, Superintendent of the Keystone Mill, was born in Salem Co., N.Y., in
1881. In 1847 removed to
H.J. & C.J. SMITH
This mill was built in 1854 by the firm of Moore, Vose & Co., and at that time had two uprights, a circular and lath mill, with a season capacity of 1,000,000. In 1858 the property was purchased by the firm of Moore, Smith & Co., and in 1862 they enlarged its capacity to 10,000,000 feet a season, giving employment to thirty-five men. In 1878 the mill passed into possession of the firm of Peter Smith & Sons. In November , 1880 Peter Smith died, and his two sons, Henry J. and Charles J. Smith succeeded to the business. The average cut of their mill is now 20,000,000 a season, and about eighty men are employed. The firm also manufactures about 35,000 barrels of salt a year.
LADERACH BROS.’ SAW MILL AND SALT WORKS
The firm of Laderach Bros. is composed of five brother, Jacob, Rudolff, Charles, Samuel and John. In 1861 they built a stave mill and cooper shop at Salzburgh, and engaged in the manufacture of barrels; the salt business, then in its infancy, creating a demand for that kind of package. After running their stave mill for a number of years, they went into the shingle trade, doing a large and successful business as manufacturers. In 1873 they added a saw mill to their already large establishment. The mill has a capacity to cut from 6,000,000 to 7,000,000 per season. In 1873 they purchased from William S. Talman the salt works erected by him in 1863, and now manufacture from
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16,000 to 18,000 barrels per annum. They were originally what was known as a “kettle block,” but the present mode of manufacture is by the “steam process.”
Laderach Brothers are five in number, and are all natives
of
Jacob
Laderach married miss
Elizabeth Ehrson, of
Rudolff Laderach married Miss
Catherine C. Laderach, a native of
Charles
Laderach has been married twice; his first wife was a
daughter of the late John Miller. After
her death he married Miss Katrine Laderach,
a native of
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Samuel and John Laderach, the remaining members of the firm, are unmarried.
L.L. HOTCHKISS. & CO.
The mill of this firm is situated a mile south of what was formerly known as Salzburgh. It was built in the year 1869 by the firm of Brooks & Adams, who operated it until 1872, when it came into the possession of the present proprietors. The whole mill property includes about thirty-six acres. They cut an average of 22,000,000 feet of lumber a season, and employ about 110 men. They have three salt wells, and produce about 55,000 barrels of salt annually.
L.L.
Hotchkiss is a native of
W.H. MALONE & CO.
The mill belonging to this firm was built in 1873 by the firm of Malone & Gardner, which firm was succeeded by W.H. Malone & Co. in 1873. The mill employs fifty men and cut last season nearly 20,000,000 feet of lumber.
SMALLEY BROS. & CO.
This mill was built in 1881, by the firm of Slater & Woodworth, and in the Fall of 1882 sold to the present proprietors. About thirty men are employed. The mill cut last year 8,000,000 feet of lumber.
THE HOUSE MILL, ESSEXVILLE
was built by J.M. Rouse, in the Winter of 1870-’71. He carried on the business until January, 1878. It then passed into the hands of his two sons, E.F. and W.B., who have made great improvements, changing it from a circular to a gang mill, doing custom work. They also added the salt block. They give employment to about forty men, and turn out about 12,000,000 feet of lumber yearly, and ninety barrels of salt per day.
INLAND MILLS
There
are the inland mills of Norn & Kent at
Transcribed
by Katie McIllaney
Proofread by Virginia Smoot and
Sheryl Retlewski
Copyright © 2008
Transcriptions
by the Relief Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints, Bay
City
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